2-21-18 Pay Attention to the Burning Bush
Pay Attention to the Burning Bush :: By Daniel Payne
All of us watchmen and women, who are of like mind and like faith, fully recognize that we are living in the last days. Most of us would even agree that we are the last generation.
Unfortunately, we are a minority, not only in the world at large, but also within the professing Christian Church at large. There are many who claim to be born again by the Holy Spirit through the blood of Jesus Christ, who continue to deny that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled in our generation.
Many say that the warnings issued by Jesus to Israel and His Church, and the warnings also issued by Paul, Peter, and John, etc. were only meant for those living 2,000 years ago. In the minds of some, the years surrounding 2018 are less the “last days” than the years surrounding 70 A.D. were.
Peter warned that this apathetic attitude toward the coming of the Lord Jesus would be most prevalent on the eve of His return:
“Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation’” (2 Peter 3:3-4).
It’s as if those who are prophetically apathetic deny that the Bible provides those of us living in the last days with specific signs to look for—signs that, by their own description, will not only confirm precisely what the last days are, but will also point to His soon return.
“But know this, that in the last days difficult times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1).
Our Almighty God has demonstrated in the past just how He speaks to His true servants. Take for example the story of Moses and the Burning Bush. Moses was going on about his life’s business when God decided to speak to him first through a sign.
Contained within the account of the burning bush, there exists a blueprint of how the Lord God chooses to reveal His plans to His servants:
“Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, ‘I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.’ When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am’” (Exodus 3:1-4).
Look at it again:
“Now Moses was pasturing the flock… the Lord appeared to him… he (Moses) looked… So Moses said, “I must turn aside now and see…” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him…”
First Moses looked; he saw the sign of the burning bush. Observe how God did not speak to Moses when he first noticed the sign. Instead, the Lord patiently waited for Moses to turn his attention away from the cares of his life and toward the obvious sign of His upcoming appearance.
Even though the Lord obviously knew what the response of Moses would be, He still gave Moses a test (like Abraham) to demonstrate his attitude and respect toward the manifestation and the will of God.
God waited for Moses to pay attention to His sign before He revealed His mission to Moses. The same God who expected Moses to notice the sign of His appearance also expects those who claim to be His Church to notice the many signs of His soon return.
In what may be the most ironic twist of iconic proportions, the Lord issued the command to build the nation of Israel by appointing Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land, from the Burning Bush.
Israel is the most obvious of the prophetic signs that the return of the Lord Jesus is near:
“Then He told them a parable: ‘Behold the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near” (Luke 21:29-31).
Yet, Israel is arguably the most hated and denied sign of all fulfilled Bible prophecy.
“Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth” (Luke 21:34-35).
The warning was not only about what would happen to Israel in 70 A.D., it was also meant for those of us living today. Jesus said that the Day would affect everyone on the face of all the earth. Paul referred to this Day as well:
“For you know yourselves full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2).
Jesus told us to Pay Attention to the signs that are taking place in our generation:
“But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).
Only a hardened heart would ignore the Word(s) of the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that He softens and opens hearts to the signs of His coming and soon return.
“But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).
“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me” (Revelation 22:12a).
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